Preparing Your Organisation for the Stage 2 Audit

The Stage 2 audit evaluates whether your management system is implemented and effective in practice. The audit team interviews personnel at every level, examines records and observes activities against the requirements of the standard and your own documented processes.

Before the audit, confirm that any areas of concern raised at Stage 1 have been addressed, and that the internal audit and management review have been completed and their outputs acted upon.

Ensure that personnel understand the policy, the objectives relevant to their work and the processes they follow. Auditors do not expect people to recite the standard, but they do expect them to describe their work accurately and to know where records are kept.

Records should be complete, current and easy to retrieve. Where information is held electronically, arrange access in advance so that time on site is used effectively.

At the closing meeting, the audit team leader presents the findings and the audit recommendation. Any nonconformities must be addressed within the agreed timeframe before the certification decision is made.